1 February Seminar – Environment, incentives and herders in Mongolia

Dr P.B. Anand (Anand Prathivadi Bhayankaram)

Reader in Environmental Economics and Public Policy
Bradford Centre for International Development

Environment, incentives and herders in Mongolia

During the first half of 2010, Mongolia experienced a harsh winter and more than 8 million animals – about a fifth of the nation’s livestock perished. Some herders lost almost all their animals. Alternative explanations of the disaster could potentially include climate change impacts, the problem of perverse incentives, erosion of institutions governing the commons and consequent ‘tragedy of the commons’, or failure to develop alternative livelihood strategies and risk management institutions. I am trying to explore if there are any patterns and possible explanations to the magnitude of losses and their variation from one location to another. This presentation is part of a wider, two year study (in collaboration with several Mongolian scholars) towards developing the national human development report for UNDP Mongolia.